Sonar the rescue dog to the rescue

With his crossed ears and boundless energy, a two year old pit bull mix went unwanted at the Animal Protective Association of Missouri for 6 months. "Sonar" was finally adopted by Mary Roy who works for Missouri Task Force One, an urban search and rescue team. Now, this rescue dog has become a rescuer for people who've lost loved ones in a disaster.

Author:
KSDK Staff

Published:
10:47 PM CDT March 27, 2016

Updated:
6:25 AM CDT March 28, 2016

Ballwin, MO (KSDK) - When it comes to a training facility, the Advanced Center of Excellence in west St. Louis County is often the first choice for first responders.

"We have Missouri Task Force One. We have the FBI who trains here. A lot of our local districts and departments come here to do live burns,“ explained Sara Dayley of West County EMS/Fire.And now it's gone to the dogs.

Mary Roy and her pit bull mix, Sonar, work for Missouri Task Force One, a search and rescue squad that's deployed in emergency situations all over the country.

"I'm on the canine division, so my dog is trained to find people buried in rubble," said Roy.

It takes more than just four legs and a tail to do this job. Sonar is smart and his energy is unlimited. Though it wasn't that long ago that he was unwanted.

"We really try and make very good matches so that these dogs go and stay in permanent homes," explained Steve Kaufman, the executive director of the Animal Protective Association of Missouri.

The APA is a nonprofit adoption center dedicated to bringing people and pets together.

Dogs come here as strays or because they're surrendered by owner and the average length of stay is only about six days. Sonar was there for six months.